As we head into another season, I’m drawn to thinking about navigating transitional periods without succumbing to the urge to accumulate more stuff. The changing seasons lead to new trends and the feeling that we always need to seek more to enjoy what’s ahead. But can’t you enrich your life without buying more things? How can we get more while wanting less?
We can confront the illusion that monetary items are the solution to our pursuit of happiness and inclusivity. That may sound daunting, but really it only adds up to living with intention and purpose instead of consumerism. It’s possible to appreciate and romanticize our lives without overspending or hoarding things you won’t look twice at after the fact. So, let’s talk about some tips that help me – and I hope will help you – add more to your life beyond buying things.
Don’t focus on negatives.
Although finding positives in every situation can be difficult, an easy first step is to choose to ignore negatives. That is, aim to appreciate things for what they are. For example, instead of dreading the oncoming cold weather, focus on the fact that you’ll get to witness the changing leaves or not deal with heat exhaustion.
Try to find that kernel of positivity – whatever it may be – instead of living in a state of want. You can still be honest about your likes and dislikes, sure. But living in that state of want will keep you dissatisfied and won’t help you live in the present or appreciate all of the wonderful aspects of life you do get to experience.
Embrace new things.
This is a super easy way to add depth to your life without accumulating more stuff. Even if you aren’t sure something will particularly mesh 100% with you, seek out new adventures and opportunities. Embracing new things will make for interesting stories, spark creativity, and help find what does bring you joy.
So, go out of your comfort zone and switch things up by saying yes to new things. How else are you going to discover the depth of your personality or determine what interests you? Embracing new things will not only help you navigate change and say no to short-term bursts of dopamine from shopping but will guide you toward enriching activities that you like.
Seek out things that align with you.
As well as saying yes to new things, it’s helpful to say yes to things you know already align with you. I find it easy to act like a shut-in but that’s counterproductive and leads to a sense of emptiness that is often filled with impulse buying. We can never have enough of something unless we live in alignment with what we truly need, which isn’t material goods. After all, our identities shouldn’t just be tied to possessions.
Things won’t bring you joy – or at least they won’t in the long term. So, make it a habit to seek out adventures, activities, or events. Surround yourself with friends, family, and community. Go for that long hike to watch the sunset. Stay up late and catch a meteor shower. Stroll the library and let yourself get caught up in a new book. Don’t let life pass you by, live with intention and tune in to what you truly want to enrich your life.
Plan things to look forward to.
Things aren’t the key to happiness, that’s why impulse buying and overconsumption are such huge problems. It’s never satisfying and leads to an endless cycle of chasing more. Instead, get comfortable with change and see this as an opportunity to plan things to look forward to. Anticipation builds satisfaction without actually needing a physical thing to bring that on.
Instead of finding that feeling of anticipation by waiting for a package in the mail, direct that feeling into something more productive. You can use a calendar and mark down everything, so you have a visual representation of what’s going on. Or practice gratitude to help romanticize the little things. In general, try to look forward to everything and don’t take life for granted. By doing so you’ll feel like each day is an opportunity for growth and you’ll feel much happier over time.
In the end, owning things isn’t enough so aim higher.
Translate emotional needs into something productive, like enriching your life, in place of adding more clutter to it. Place expectations on more worthwhile things! We can increase the satisfaction we feel in our lives by moving beyond consumerism.
It’s too easy for wants to turn into needs unconsciously through our perceptions and change makes that happen even more frequently. We are constantly pointed towards products and material goods, but that isn’t what we really need to sustain ourselves. Let’s refocus and bring depth to our lives with intention and a shift of perspective.